Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare walking goals lack scientific basis

The common health goal of walking 10,000 steps per day lacks scientific evidence. While the target became widely recognized due to the popularity of the ‘Manpo-kei’ pedometer in the 1960s and was promoted by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare through the ‘Health Japan 21’ initiative in 2000, it is not a medically mandated requirement for health.

Experts note that strictly adhering to a 10,000-step goal may actually cause physical harm, such as damaging the knees, depending on an individual's physical condition. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has established different target step counts for 2024 to better align with health objectives.